Everyone thinks of the federal government first when looking for financial aid, and it is the first place you should look. Federal financial aid (Pell grants and Stafford and Perkins loans) is based on expected family contribution (EFC), which is calculated from the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA). You and your parents will need to fill out a FAFSA as a first step toward any aid. For more information on the FAFSA, or to submit yours online, go to the Department of Education’s site.

If you’d like to get an idea now of what to expect when you see your EFC, use the calculator for federal methodology at The College Board.  Fill out the FAFSA even if you’re pretty sure you won’t get federal aid. The EFC serves as a basis for calculating other aid and you never know – you just might be pleasantly surprised. Tips for filling out the FAFSA can be found at FinAid and Peterson’s.

Some schools will ask you to fill out a college scholarship service (CSS) profile, as well. The College Board web site allows you to submit your CSS profile online.

Talk to the financial aid people at every college you are interested in. Tell them what you need. If the amount of help you get is going to make or break your decision to attend that school, let them know that, too.

If you’re still in high school, visit your guidance counselor. While you’re there, take a look at the bulletin board in the guidance office. This is a great place to find local and smaller sources of help.

If you’re an athlete in any sport, ask about athletic scholarships. They’re not just for burly football players. In fact, the less common sports are often the better source of aid, especially for women. For more information on athletic scholarships, go the NCAA Web site and click on scholarships.

Other, not so obvious places to look for aid include:

• The state government
• Your local government
• Unions and professional organizations
• Civic groups
• Veterans groups
• Religious organizations
• Ethnic organizations
• Organizations related to your planned career (guilds, unions, and professional organizations)

See a trend? Right! Any organization that any member of your family is even remotely connected to is a possible source of a scholarship.

The military is also a traditional source of college financial help, and all branches of the US armed forces are offering big bucks these days - in some cases, up to $50,000 for college. For more information on military money, check out their recruiting Web site.

For more ideas, based on your own background and goals, use the scholarship search at FinAid. 

Where should you not look for help? Don’t work with anyone who wants money to help you find aid. Legitimate help in finding college financial aid is free. Any help you have to pay for is, at best, a list of things you could have found on your own. At worst, it’s a blatant scam.